Tropes
They want to kill each other. Then they want to do other things to each other. The king of tropes, and the one we will never, ever get tired of. 41 books so far, including After, Bride and Fourth Wing.
Sarah J. Maas · Book 5 of 6 in A Court of Thorns and Roses
Spice 4/5 · SpicyNesta and Cassian: a prickly heroine, a patient warrior and the spiciest book in the series. The training montage is iconic.
Anna Todd · Book 1 of 5 in After
Spice 3/5 · SteamyA good girl, a tattooed college bad boy and the toxic love story that started on Wattpad.
Ali Hazelwood
Spice 4/5 · SpicyA vampire bride, a werewolf alpha, a marriage of convenience and the bonding scene that broke the internet.
Rebecca Yarros · Book 1 of 5 in The Empyrean
Spice 3/5 · SteamyA deadly dragon-rider war college and Xaden Riorson. The book that made half of BookTok shop for dragon jewellery.
Rachel Reid · Book 2 of 6 in Game Changers
Spice 5/5 · ScorchingTwo rival hockey superstars, a decade-long secret situationship and the TV adaptation that sent it viral.
Callie Hart · Book 1 in Fae & Alchemy
Spice 4/5 · SpicyA thief, a fae warrior with a death wish and a portal into a frozen kingdom. Kingfisher is a menace and we are obsessed.
Casey McQuiston
Spice 3/5 · SteamyThe First Son and a British prince fake a friendship after a cake disaster. The emails alone.
Holly Black · Book 1 of 3 in The Folk of the Air
Spice 1/5 · SweetA mortal girl schemes her way up a vicious fae court. Cardan is the original morally grey bully prince. Zero spice, maximum tension.
Sally Thorne
Spice 3/5 · SteamyTwo executive assistants who hate each other compete for the same promotion. The office enemies-to-lovers blueprint.
Julia Quinn · Book 2 of 8 in Bridgertons
Spice 3/5 · SteamyAnthony Bridgerton and Kate Sheffield: enemies to lovers, a bee and the fan-favourite season.
Jennifer L. Armentrout · Book 2 of 6 in Blood and Ash
Spice 4/5 · SpicyA fake engagement with the man who lied about everything. The banter and the spice both level up.
Penelope Douglas · Book 1 of 5 in Devil's Night
Spice 4/5 · SpicyThree years ago she sent him to prison. Now he is out, and it is Devil's Night. Dark Halloween romance.
Mariana Zapata
Spice 2/5 · SimmerTwo figure skaters who have insulted each other for years become pairs partners. Banter is the love language.
Rina Kent · Book 1 of 6 in Legacy of Gods
Spice 5/5 · ScorchingA college psycho decides she is his new favourite game. Dark academia meets stalker romance.
Kerri Maniscalco · Book 1 of 3 in Kingdom of the Wicked
Spice 2/5 · SimmerA witch summons the Prince of Wrath to avenge her twin. Slow burn now, payoff later in the trilogy.
Brynne Weaver · Book 2 of 3 in The Ruinous Love Trilogy
Spice 5/5 · ScorchingA hitman is forced to marry the chaotic woman who keeps trying to ruin his life. Feral and funny.
Lauren Roberts · Book 1 of 3 in The Powerless Trilogy
Spice 1/5 · SweetAn Ordinary thief hides among the Elites in a deadly royal competition, opposite the prince trained to hunt her kind.
Penelope Douglas
Spice 4/5 · SpicyPen pals for seven years who promised never to meet. They have been meeting. They are enemies.
Danielle L. Jensen · Book 1 of 4 in The Bridge Kingdom
Spice 4/5 · SpicyA princess trained as a spy marries the enemy king to destroy his kingdom. Then she starts liking him.
Carissa Broadbent · Book 1 in Crowns of Nyaxia
Spice 3/5 · SteamyA human girl raised by the vampire king enters a deadly tournament and forms an alliance with her most dangerous rival.
Elena Armas · Book 1 of 2 in The Spanish Love Deception
Spice 3/5 · SteamyShe needs a date to her sister's wedding in Spain. Her irritating coworker volunteers.
Christina Lauren
Spice 2/5 · SimmerThe whole wedding gets food poisoning except the bride's sister and the groom's grumpy brother. Free honeymoon, one bed.
Ana Huang · Book 3 of 4 in Twisted
Spice 4/5 · SpicyA doctor and a lawyer who hate each other start sleeping together. Strictly hate sex. Sure.
L.J. Shen · Book 1 of 4 in Sinners of Saint
Spice 4/5 · SpicyThe boy who tormented her in high school is now a ruthless lawyer, and she needs his help.
Caroline Peckham & Susanne Valenti · Book 1 of 9 in Zodiac Academy
Spice 2/5 · SimmerTwin lost princesses arrive at a fae academy where the four heirs want them gone. Messy, chaotic, addictive.
Kate Golden · Book 1 of 3 in The Sacred Stones
Spice 3/5 · SteamyA healer is conscripted into the enemy king's army and becomes part of his inner circle. Romantasy comfort food.
Danielle L. Jensen · Book 1 of 3 in Saga of the Unfated
Spice 3/5 · SteamyViking-flavoured romantasy: a shield maiden with a prophecy and a jarl's son who should be her enemy.
Christina Lauren · Book 1 in Beautiful Bastard
Spice 5/5 · ScorchingAn intern and her infuriating boss hate-hook-up in every room of the office. Started life as Twilight fanfic.
Sophie Lark · Book 1 of 6 in Brutal Birthright
Spice 4/5 · SpicyRival Chicago crime families settle a feud with a wedding. The bride and groom are not thrilled.
Penelope Douglas · Book 1 in Fall Away
Spice 3/5 · SteamyHer childhood best friend turned on her overnight. Now she is back and fighting back.
C.S. Pacat · Book 1 of 3 in Captive Prince
Spice 3/5 · SteamyA prince sold as a slave to his enemy's court. Vicious politics and a slow, savage enemies-to-lovers.
Caroline Peckham & Susanne Valenti · Book 1 of 4 in Ruthless Boys of the Zodiac
Spice 4/5 · SpicyA fae girl in a supernatural prison with a gang of dangerous inmates who all want a piece of her.
Scarlett St. Clair · Book 1 of 3 in Adrian x Isolde
Spice 4/5 · SpicyA princess is married off to the vampire king she plans to kill. He is far too into it.
Laura Thalassa · Book 1 of 4 in The Four Horsemen
Spice 4/5 · SpicyThe literal Horseman of Pestilence takes a firefighter on a road trip to end the world. Wildly romantic, somehow.
Elsie Silver · Book 4 of 5 in Chestnut Springs
Spice 4/5 · SpicyThe youngest Eaton brother and his summer feud with the woman who keeps beating him at everything.
Carissa Broadbent · Book 2 in Crowns of Nyaxia
Spice 3/5 · SteamyBetrayal, a forced marriage and a vampire king who would very much like to be forgiven. The payoff is enormous.
Thea Guanzon · Book 1 of 3 in The Hurricane Wars
Spice 3/5 · SteamyTwo enemy weather mages trapped together in the desert. Reylo-coded and proud of it.
L.J. Shen
Spice 4/5 · SpicyOne stolen kiss, one ruthless senator and a forced engagement. Angsty and sharp.
Danielle Lori · Book 2 in Made
Spice 4/5 · SpicyA sharp-tongued mafia princess and the cold capo who decides she is his.
Christina Lauren
Spice 3/5 · SteamyA DNA matchmaking app says her soulmate is the arrogant scientist who founded it. Data does not lie.
Kerri Maniscalco · Book 1 in Prince of Sin
Spice 4/5 · SpicyThe Prince of Envy and a rebellious princess on a quest together. Spicier spin-off from Kingdom of the Wicked.
Reader favourites include After by Anna Todd; Bride by Ali Hazelwood; Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros; Quicksilver by Callie Hart; Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston. Use the spice filter above to narrow it to your heat level.
For explicit enemies to lovers romance, try God of Malice by Rina Kent; Beautiful Bastard by Christina Lauren; Bride by Ali Hazelwood; Quicksilver by Callie Hart; Corrupt by Penelope Douglas. These are rated 4 or 5 out of 5 on our spice scale.
Yes: The Cruel Prince by Holly Black; From Lukov with Love by Mariana Zapata; Kingdom of the Wicked by Kerri Maniscalco; Powerless by Lauren Roberts; The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren are rated 1 or 2 out of 5, closed door or kisses only.
If you do not want to commit to a series, try Bride by Ali Hazelwood; Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston; The Hating Game by Sally Thorne; From Lukov with Love by Mariana Zapata.
